Deception

The Spirit of the New Age was the sermon my dear Pastor preached during Digging Deep on Tuesday. He broke it into parts and so part one which he talked about that day was on DECEPTION. I had to buy the CD immediately after Church cuz it was something I needed to hear. It was deep.

It is a serious issue o… It got me really really thinking. He started by using TRUTH to explain what deception was as we all know, truth is the opposite of deception. What really struck me most in all he said that day was the issue of relativity. In the bid to appear funky, tolerant of others, logical, not to be seen as strong-willed, we have allowed relativity to come into our speech and actions.

We begin to classify everything based on the circumstances, the situation . You hear people say things like “if you look at it from this angle”, “it is right in this context”, “let’s think about it in a ‘logical’ way and you would find out he/she is right”. I am pretty sad, because I believe I have fallen into that trap a couple of times. So as not to rock the boat or to be tolerant, I begin to rationalize the truth “I know what my Bible says about an issue but”… Keyword is BUT. I think when the word but gets introduced into the truth… well… we pretty much are telling a lie and deceiving ourselves and others.

It’s sad that as Christians we can’t stand up for what we know is true and right as other religions do. And we are “the Way, the Truth and the Life”, “the One True God”. We can’t face our friends, colleagues, relatives and let them know what we stand for? So as not/to get on the wrong side of the other person? So as not to lose their friendships?

Even within the Church, we have allowed relativity to creep in. The Bible doesn’t support divorce. I hear some Pastors allow their members to get a divorce “depending on the situation”. Makes me wonder. The only reason why divorce is allowed in the Bible is on grounds of infidelity and even at that, if you are getting a divorce based on that you have raised a standard by which you would be judged. So am thinking on what other grounds, what other situations do these Pastors allow their members to divorce? Like one of our A/P said, when you get married, you throw the key away, that door is never to be opened. And like PB said (as I like to call him), if you are leaving your marriage cause of maybe he/she beats you, are you saying you can’t take the matter to God? The one with whom nothing is IMPOSSIBLE? Are you saying the man or woman can’t change?

Another deception that I can’t shake off (which I heard for the first that day) was the issue of sex before marriage. Funny how people use the Bible to suit their motive. The same A/P says she saw this Spirit filled, tongue talking young woman who was pg and asked how she got herself into that situation. The chic tells her that in their church they are allowed to get pg as long as they are going to get married. And then quotes 1 Corinthians 7: 36 ; KJV- “But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry”. “But if a man thinks he ought to marry his fiance because he has trouble controlling his passions and time is passing, it is all right; it is not a sin. Let them marry.” – NLT.

I first heard this passage when my pastor back in school, spoke to us about why he decided to marry early even without having much to take care of himself and his wife. A point PB even mentioned this fact when this matter came up. The Bible is saying if you can’t hold yourself, it is better to get married than to burn. How that translated (in that church) to as long as you know you are getting married, you can start sleeping with each other beats me… It says let them marry not let them have sex. Or one I heard that a church says it’s members don’t have to pay tithes because God allowed tithe paying for the Levites, widows and the poor to have something to eat and it is an Old Testament Law; Christ came to abolish the law so that law doesn’t stand. And as there are no more “Levites” in the New Testament, it isn’t necessary. For the widows and the poor, you can give them whatever you can afford, plus the church has set up foundations to take care of such people. And am thinking really? Seriously?

I believe in this age, we Christians should know our Bible very very well. In fact, hug our Bibles because… hmmmmm…. people are being deceived o… and not on a small scale… the devil isn’t taking it small at all; ko mu ni kekere. Or is it the issue of homosexuality we should talk on? Story for another day. I hear Christians say because this person is gay doesn’t make him a lesser person and story story. You hear things like “that is how God created them”. Nibo? Where? My Bible says God created them, male and female He did create not male and male or female and female; not Adam and Steve or Eve and Evelyn. “They are just being in tune with their sexuality” True their sexuality doesn’t make them lesser people but like my people would say, nkan ti o da, o da; what isn’t right isn’t right. #nuffsaid. Abortion…. you hear “if someone was raped and got pg should she keep the baby”? The situation issue again. I say yes. I agree, counsellors and people talking aint in the situation with you but I believe if you are a coG, all things (good or bad) would work together for your good. He makes all things beautiful in His time. My Bible gave strict instructions not to kill.